Winds of Change
by Dark Nuriko
Summary: My first Fire Emblem Fic. Set during the three years between Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn. Some of the first Fire Emblem thrown in as well. A new tactician comes to the Greil Mercenaries and Soren begins to worry about his place on the team.


**Title: **_**Winds of Change**_

**Author: **Dark Nuriko

**Category: **Fire Emblem

**Genre: **Romance/Adventure

**Pairings: **IkexSoren, various others

**Warnings: **Angst, OC(Original Character) , Shounen Ai(Boys Love), Yaoi(graphic male on male), blood, and Lemon.

**Rating: **R or MA

**Disclaimer: **Fire Emblem and its horde of characters do not belong to me. I write these stories solely for personal enjoyment and that of those who like the fandom. I'm not writing this for profit and don't even have two pennies to rub together. If you aren't a fan of yaoi or boy on boy action, then don't read this. If you believe Ike is as straight as an arrow, then please, don't read this.

**Author's Notes: **Well, being a Fire Emblem fan for about as long as I can remember, I finally found a pairing I just couldn't get out of my head. Enter Ike and Soren from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. Like a good little fan-girl I was drawn to them from day one and I so believe I've seen potential in them as a couple. So, with things set in my mind I began to give this a go. So, please enjoy the following story, set in the three year period between PoR and RD.

_**Winds of Change**_

_Chapter One:_

The sounds of battle raged across the young man's ears. In his hands rested a tome that seemed to weigh more than those slender arms sound be able to carry. Black robes rested on his evidently slight and slim body. Red eyes glanced about the battle field, watching for an opportune time to add his skill into the mix.

Gatrie and Boyd were off to one side, fighting back to back and taking on four men at once. The heavy armored General and the warrior seemed right at home in the middle of the fray. Off to their right, Mia seemed to be practicing some new sword techniques out on two rather disgruntled bandits. To their right, Shinon and Rolf were displaying some of the fastest archery skills anyone would have the pleasure to see. They knocked their arrows into their bows with such precision and speed that it was like watching an exotic dance at times.

Keeping another group of bandits away from Shinon and Rolf were Titania and Oscar, the mounted Paladin's of their little band and obviously skilled at fighting together as almost one dangerous person. Behind all this, away from the fighting, were Rhys and Mist. They were the healers of the party and as such were doing their job of keeping their fighters in top condition to fight, as well as looking after the reason for this battle in the first place.

Laying on the ground, unconscious, was a young woman whom no one really knew anything about. Yet the Greil Mercenaries rarely needed to know a person to help them out. They'd been traveling through the area when they'd happened upon the bandits as they were attempted to strong arm the young woman to come with them. She'd been fighting against them and eventually one had taken the butt of his sword to her head, knocking her unconscious.

That sight had been all it took for their leader to start issuing orders and letting the rest of the group know that they had work. Sighing at that, the red eye's roamed over the battle once more, seeking out their leader. All by himself, off to the right of Oscar and Titania, stood a young man with unruly blue hair and vibrant blue eyes. His red cloak helped to pick him out of the several surrounding him. The man was playing hero a little too seriously this time and as such, had gotten himself surrounded.

With a sigh from slightly parted lips, the sage, for that's what the red-eyed observer was, lifted a hand and started reciting a spell from the tome. Winds picked up around him and with the last word said, a mighty gust of wind swung toward his over burdened leader, taking out four of the seven that had been swarming him. With the major opposition out of the way, the blue haired man seemed to have no trouble getting the rest to topple as well.

"Thanks, Soren!" the man called out toward the sage, giving him a goofy grin before rushing off to help the others. Soren merely rolled his red eyes at the comment and lowered his arm, wondering if there would come a time when their great leader would stop being so gung-ho all the time.

"Don't thank me, Ike, just watch your back," Soren called back out, even as he once more raised a hand and threw another wind spell in the direction of the archer who'd been plotting to shot their leader in the back.

Ike turned swiftly at those words, only to watch the sage take the man out. With another grin tossed his way, Ike once more moved to help his men. In little time, the bandits were taken out, only one seeming to flee from the scene, and leaving the small band of mercenaries to keep the spoils of their battle.

"Ike, I've never seen bandits with such weapons before," Titania called out, as she'd dismounted her horse and was now looking over one of the bodies. The weapon in questioned looked like a sword, but was long enough to be a lance. It was also pretty slender as opposed to the broadsword's Ike, Mia, Oscar, and herself could use. She picked it up, taking note of the light weight. From something like this, one would think it would be fragile and break easily, but these weapons had taken many blows from her broadsword and continued to hold strong.

"Nor have I," Ike called back, making his way toward the red-haired woman who was once his father's second-in-command and now was his. He looked over the weapon she held with a critical eye and nodded. "Its not a normal blade, that I can say for certain. Have Gatrie, Boyd, and Oscar gather up as many of them as we can find. We can have Calill look them over when we return home," Ike said, watching as Gatrie, Boyd, and Oscar all began their collection work without having to hear the orders a second time.

"The girls still out," Rhys called out, his voice naturally calm and gentle, soothing to the ears. Ike moved from observing the blade to Rhys' side, glancing over the young woman. She was obviously dressed for traveling. A simple traveling cloak with a silver clasp in the front adorned her body, covering most of it. Yet a pair of gray trousers were noticeable underneath the cloak and soft leather boots covered her feet, but otherwise, it was all hidden under the black cloak. A wealth of red hair seemed to be attempting to escape from the ponytail it was in, shifting to curl about her face.

"Bring her back to base with us. We can't leave her out here," Ike said, standing up and looking toward Soren. "Who do you think she is?" he asked of his friend, his blue gaze turning toward Soren and looking the sage over. After every battle, Ike would look him over, wanting to make sure that nothing had happened to the other man. Soren was his friend and confidant. Someone who helped him plan out strategies with ease. He was dear to him and the last thing he wanted was to find him injured in any way.

"We won't know till she wakes up," Soren answered, brushing a stray stand of black hair from his face. "Honestly Ike, I'm a sage and strategist, not a seer. I can't tell you something I don't know," the sage commented, sighing softly. He then turned on his heel and moved to follow the rest of their happy little band. Ike frowned slightly and followed along behind the rest, moving to hide the wound to his arm and certain he could tend to it later, once he was alone.

Three days after the battle with bandits, the girl in their care finally awoke. Startling violet eyes gazed around the room, seemingly trying to collect their bearings and get a grasp of where they were at. Honestly, the last thing she could remember, she'd been on the road, after having gotten off a boat from a country far from here, and she'd been set upon by bandits. What had happened afterward completely was a mystery, seeing as she'd been knocked out for resisting.

"Ah, you're awake," a light voice said from the front of a tent flap. Glancing toward it, the girl took notice of a young man with orange colored hair and eyes, watching her with a calm expression.

"Yes," she answered, her voice fairly mellow. It was one of those voices that people had no problem listening to.

"Well, that's always a good thing. Especially after a knock like you had to the head," the man replied, coming into the tent, warm smile in place.

The girl smiled back, nodding slightly. "Mm, I do believe you're right. How long was I out for? The last thing I recall was them wanting me to come along with them. I fought… which would possibly have upset Eliwood and Lyn if they'd have seen me trying something so bold, and then I was hit. I don't recall anything else after that."

The orange-haired man looked him over for a moment before smiling. "That would make it hard to continue seeing what's going on if that's the case," the man replied, moving close to look into her eyes and check her pulse, things most healers did.

"Very," she answered, before flushing slightly and clearing her throat. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess my injury has knocked my manners from me as well. My name is Morgan. I'm a traveling tactician," the girl with red hair said, holding out her hand.

"I'm Rhys. I'm a Bishop with a band of mercenaries. We're called the Greil Mercenaries. I don't suppose you've heard of us during your travels, have you?" he asked, sill smiling as he took note that aside from a bump on the back of her head, she seemed just fine.

"I have, actually. Lord Hector was giving me information about this part of the world before I set sail and mentioned your group. Although, he wasn't very nice about some of it," Morgan answered, seeming a little sheepish as she said it.

Rhys blinked, his orange gaze going wide slightly. "You traveled all the way here from Etruria? That's a pretty fair distance," Rhys commented, slightly surprised, seeing that the girl was rather small and didn't appear very sturdy.

"Yes. I spent a few years in Lycia, helping out Lord Eliwood, Lady Lyndis, and Lord Hector through some of the lands tougher moments," Morgan replied, not really stating how much help she'd been to them. After all, she really didn't think she'd done much. She was still learning much, by far, and was still wet behind the years.

"So, you traveled from Etruria to Tellius… on a whim?" Rhys questioned, honestly uncertain why someone would take the long three month journey across the ocean to come here from there.

"Oh, no, not a whim," Morgan stated, smiling softly. "You see, I'm still in training as a tactician and I've still even more to learn. Since there really wasn't much call for me back in Etruria, I thought perhaps my skills might be better put to use here. As well as perhaps a chance to learn some new strategies from someone else."

Rhys laughed, watching how the girls whole face seemed to light up with her words. He had to give her credit, she really was in love with her profession. She was probably one of those people who spent the better part of their lives seeing what they could do to improve what they already knew, even when that was by far, better than most. "Well, you've certainly come to the right place, Miss Tactician. You seen, Tellius isn't as peaceful as we'd like it to be, even though we've recently dealt with a rather vicious war recently."

Morgan gasped, her violet eyes shining with concern. "Honestly? I'm sorry to hear that. War is never easy. Neither those on this side nor those on the opposing team will come away unscathed, I'm afraid. And honestly, its hard to tell which one is ever in the right. Because while one will always believe they are just, the other side tends to believe they are in the right as well. it's a vicious circle with the innocents usually ending up on the losing side no matter what."

Rhys blinked at that, tipping his head. "If you believe that, then why do you help one side fight?" he asked, honestly curious as to what the girl would say in answer.

"If I battle isn't planned out, then it becomes chaotic and thus causes more damage and pain for those who just wish to remain neutral. A tactician can help a party get through the fight as quickly and efficiently as possible with as little to no excess casualties as possible," Morgan responded, blinking her violet eyes slowly, before flushing. "Ah, sorry, Rhys. I guess I got off on one of my tangents, didn't I?"

Rhys waved her off with a single hand, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I did ask. Its only proper that I allow you to answer it how you will." Rhys then shifted his stance, glancing toward the tent entrance. "I should go let my commander know you're all right. We've all been a little worried for you. Especially since you were out three days."

Morgan gasped, rubbing the back of her head gently, whimpering. "Seems I owe you much. Three days with someone you don't know would certainly unnerve most people. I'm certain your commander thought I had to of died with that kind of down time," she muttered, remembering how Lyn would always panic whenever she was in battle with them, calling out orders as she watched what was going on, thinking at the drop of a coin in case things changed mid-battle.

Rhys once more began to laugh softly. "No worries there. Ike's a good commander. I don't think he would have cared if you were out for a day or a week, just as long as you were still alive," he commented, walking over to the entrance that he'd been previously looking at. "For now, lay down and relax. I'll send someone with some food for you. I'm certain you're hungry by now. Oscar's an amazing Paladin, but he's an even better cook. I'm sure he'd be glad to fix something that should hold you till dinner." With that said, Rhys exited the tent, leaving the tactician all alone.

Soren shifted from his place beside the tent, his stance a little tense. He watched Rhys exit and head off toward Oscar's tent, certain the Bishop was going to do just as he told the girl he was. A frown marred his lips, something that normally resided there. Only this time, there was a completely valid reason for it. He wasn't so certain they needed another tactician around. He was good at what he did and it was the main reason most people tolerated him. If this girl was better at it than he was, then all he'd have left going for him would be his spells. And honestly, being the only sage in the group could end up meaning they wouldn't even need him as that any more either.

With a small snort, Soren turned and his heel and strode away from the tent their current guest was residing in. He'd just have to make damn certain there was a reason for him to remain. After all, it was hard to find a place that would accept what he was so easily. He would have to assure himself… and Ike… that he was needed… because otherwise… he'd have to leave… and be left… all alone… again.

TBC…


End file.
